Short range wireless systems typically involve devices that have a communications range of one hundred meters or less. To provide communications over long distances, these short range systems often interface with other networks. For example, short range networks may interface with cellular networks, wireline telecommunications networks, and the Internet.
Wireless personal area networks (PANs) and wireless local area networks (LANs) are each types of short range wireless systems. PANs and WLANs typically have the common feature of operating in unlicensed portions of the radio spectrum, usually either in the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band or the 5 GHz Unlicensed-National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) band. Examples of wireless local area network technology include the IEEE 802.11 WLAN Standard and the HiperLAN Standard. A well-known example of wireless personal area network technology is the Bluetooth Standard.
Bluetooth defines a short-range radio network, originally intended as a cable replacement. It can be used to create ad hoc networks of up to eight devices, where one device is referred to as a master device. The other devices are referred to as slave devices. The slave devices can communicate with the master device and with each other via the master device. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Specification Of The Bluetooth System, Volumes 1 and 2, Core and Profiles: Version 1.1, Feb. 22, 2001, describes the principles of Bluetooth device operation and communication protocols. This document is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The devices operate in the 2.4 GHz radio band reserved for general use by Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) applications. Bluetooth devices are designed to find other Bluetooth devices within their communications range and to discover what services they offer.
Establishing a short-range communications session requires various processes to be performed. For example, in Bluetooth networks, devices perform an inquiry process to learn the identity of other devices in their communications range. Once a first device learns the identity of another device through the inquiry process, the devices perform a process known as paging to establish an unsecured connection between the two devices.
In addition, when certain security features are desired, terminal devices and access points perform a process known as authentication. Authentication is a process where two devices verify that they both have the same secret key. This secret key can then be used to effect security features, such as link encryption.
Once these processes are complete, the devices may communicate with each other according to one or more applications. For instance, one of the devices may utilize services provided by the other device, such as web browsing, printing, etc. Communicating according to such services is referred to herein as a “service session.” For the device to determine the services provided by the other device, Bluetooth provides a protocol known as the Service Discovery Protocol (SDP). SDP enables terminals to identify services offered by other devices. According to SDP, The identification of services involves the exchange of multiple messages between devices.
Thus, the establishment of a connection as well as the discovery and selection of services can involve the exchange of an extensive amount of information. Unfortunately, this may consume large amounts of time and battery power. Moreover, this exchange of information places large demands on network bandwidth, as well as on terminal device and access point processing capacity. Accordingly, techniques are needed for the efficient establishment of service sessions.
As set forth above, devices such as Bluetooth access points can provide different kinds of services for mobile device users. For instance, an access point can deliver different kinds of content and applications to mobile devices within its coverage area. Examples of such applications include interactive game playing and the creation of messages for various purposes, such as the purchasing of movie tickets.
A frequent problem occurs when a mobile device does not contain the necessary software to perform applications provided by devices, such as access points. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide techniques for the installation of access network connectivity software to the mobile terminal. Different methods exist to install such software. For example, a web page may be established that enables a user to download the network connectivity software. Alternatively, connectivity software may be sent by e-mail. Unfortunately, these techniques typically involve long-range networks, which do not enable a user to utilize access network services spontaneously at the location where such services are provided. Accordingly, techniques are also needed for the installation of software that occur during short-range device encounters.